Sibling Rivalry
by Istale
Summary: Gaara and Kankuro both like the same girl, but she's completely oblivious to the effect she has on them. Will she end up with either of them in the end? Has all three Sand Siblings.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Naruto.**

**This is supposed to be in Shippuden time.  
**

* * *

Lately, there had been someone attacking small villages in the Land of Wind. Four whole villages had been wiped out by someone named Dr. Vale and his minions.

Gaara and Kankuro finally found Dr. Vale's hideout—a giant, moving fortress. They stood at the edge of a cliff, waiting to strike.

"The Doc's going down!" Kankuro said confidently. "Let's finish this guy off!"

Gaara held his older brother back for a moment. "Wait, we need to plan this first."

* * *

Kankuro darted around the corner of the third white hallway he had seen and looked for some kind of door. He had already run into one of Dr. Vale's ninja, but he had made short work of her. He hadn't seen anyone else since—just the white walls of the hallway that seemed to go on forever.

He stopped suddenly.

There was an opening in the wall, like a door with stuff spilling out of it. He snuck up to it silently and peeked inside.

There was a girl curled up on a little white bed. She was covered in ribbons, as if she had been tossing them around before she fell asleep.

"There's no way she could be one of Doc's goons. She must be a prisoner!" Kankuro looked around before picking up the girl and slinging her over his shoulder. He slipped out into the unchanging white hallway and headed the way he had come, leaving timed bombs along the wall.

* * *

As he left the towering fortress, he could hear the first of his bombs go off. He ran as fast as he could, carrying the girl on his back.

Gaara stood on the cliff and watched as Kankuro ran from the exploding fortress with something that looked suspiciously like a person.

When Kankuro reached Gaara, he dropped the girl to the ground and then sat down.

"Man, I could feel the fire right behind me!" He wiped sweat from his forehead.

"Kankuro, who is this?" Gaara looked down at the girl, who was still asleep.

"I don't know, but she couldn't be one of Doc's goons, could she?"

"Just because she's cute doesn't mean she can't be a bad guy." Gaara said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, let's just keep her until she wakes up. Then we can question her." Kankuro said. He saw the look of impatience on his little brother's face. "Please?"

"Fine." Gaara shot off toward the village hidden in the sand.

* * *

**This chapter was really short just 'cause I didn't feel like taking the time to lose everyone's interest . . .**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own Naruto.**

**I kind of imagine Daren having brown kitty ears and a tail (and wearing yellow) but she doesn't have them and she's waring black and green.  
**

* * *

After two days, the girl that Kankuro had rescued finally woke up.

She sat up and stretched like a cat then mumbled about it being too hot.

Before Kankuro could even say anything, she pulled off her shirt, exposing the purple bra she had on.

"U-um . . ." Kankuro stammered, his face turning red. "H-hi."

She turns to him and smiles, "Oh, hello." She had sharp canine teeth, like a vampire or cat. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Um, two days since we brought you from Doc's ship."

She stretched and then curled up with a pillow. "What a nice nap." She looks around the sandy room. "Where is this place, anyway?"

"The village hidden in the sand." Kankuro sat in a chair by the door. "Were you Doc's prisoner?"

She rolled over onto her back and studied the ceiling. "Well, not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Dr. Vale's had me for as long as I can remember. But I was never allowed to leave and I had to follow these strict rules." She pouted. "I never listened to them, though. That's why I have these!" She sat up and showed him the four silver shackles that were on her ankles and wrists.

"They were supposed to keep track of me and they would zap me if I went where I wasn't supposed to." She looked at them with dislike. "I guess since you destroyed Dr. Vale's fortress, they don't work anymore."

She leaned over the edge of the bed and began to write in the sand that was on the floor.

Kankuro read it out loud. "Daren? Is that your name?"

"Yup!"

"Isn't that a boy's name?"

"I don't know, maybe." She smiled at him, showing her sharp canines.

The door opened and Daren looked up to see a surprised red-haired boy.

"Hi!" She smiled at him.

"Y-you're awake." He blushed and looked away from her—she was practically hanging out of her bra while she was leaning over the edge of the bed.

"Yup!" She sits up. "Who're you?"

"My name is Gaara, I'm the Kazekage of this village."

"The Kaze-what?" He opened his mouth to answer but she turned to Kankuro. "You never told me your name."

"I'm Kankuro." He answered.

Gaara turned to him. "What did you find out?"

"Her name's Daren and she _was_ Doc's prisoner, although she grew up in the fortress."

Daren had been flicking little bits of dust that were floating in the air, ignoring the two as they talked about her. Suddenly, her stomach growled loudly.

"Hungry?" Kankuro asked.

"Yeah, you got any food?"

"Yeah, come on." They were about to leave but Gaara held Daren back.

"Wait." She looked up at him, pouting slightly. "Put this on." He handed her the shirt that she had thrown on the floor.

"But it's too hot!"

"Put it on." Gaara growled.

She slipped it on. "I don't see how you guys can stand wearing black and long sleeves when it's so hot!" She followed Kankuro out into the Kitchen/Dining room/Living room.

Temari was still putting away the food left over from supper. Daren wrinkled her nose—Temari smelled bossy. But then she smelled something delicious—fish. Kankuro handed her a bowl of baked fish and rice and a glass of milk.

She attempted to eat her food with her chopsticks but she wasn't very good at it.

"Don't you guys have any forks?" She asked, tossing the chopsticks onto the table.

"Forks?" Kankuro asked.

"Yeah, we always ate with forks in Doc's fortress. Chopsticks are so complicated!"

"Just eat with the chopsticks!" Temari said, crossing her arms. "You were doing fine before."

"All right." Daren sighed and continued eating clumsily. After she finished, she stretched and then announced: "I'm going to take a nap."

"You just slept for two whole days!" Kankuro pointed out.

"So?" She went back into Kankuro's room (Kankuro had slept on the couch the past two days) and laid down. She could smell something really nice (better than fish or milk). She searched the area around her, following her nose, and discovered that it was one of the pillows.

She hugged the pillow tightly, breathing in the wonderful scent.

Kankuro walked in and gave her a questioning look. "Uh, what are you doing?"

She opened one eye and looked at him. "It smells nice."

"It smells nice?" Then he realized what was so strange about her. "You're like a cat, aren't you?"

"A cat?"

"Yeah, you sleep a lot and you're the only person I know that actually _enjoys_ Temari's baked fish. And now you think that that pillow smells good." He thinks for a moment. "You sleep curled up like a cat, too, now that I think about it."

"What's wrong with being like a cat?"

"Nothing, it's just that I only realized it now. I know a guy that's like a dog."

"Ew."

Kankuro laughed and then noticed the pillow she had. "That's Gaara's pillow, he's going to want that back."

Daren hugged the pillow tighter. "Too bad."

Kankuro left and she fell asleep, hugging Gaara's pillow.

* * *

**She's so cute :P (Although a little whiney)**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Naruto.**

**We get to see the "early morning" side of Daren now . . .  
**

* * *

Kankuro popped into the room at eight o' clock. "You awake yet?"

Daren opened one eye and growled at him. "What time is it?"

"Eight." Kankuro said.

She moaned and rolled over. "Wake me up in four more hours."

"Aw, c'mon! It's too bright to sleep now."

"I said get out!" he sat up and yelled at him. Her hair was a mess and her teeth looked extra-sharp in her anger.

Kankuro ran from the room before she could throw something at him.

He came back in at ten.

"Daren, everyone else is up. C'mon, get up already."

"Is it twelve yet?" She moaned from beneath Gaara's pillow.

"No, it's ten."

"Ten?" She held the pillow tighter over her head. Her next words were hardly discernable through it. "I said to wake me up at twelve, damn it!"

"You can't sleep 'til twelve, Dare. Come on, get up!"

"Yes I can! Now leave me alone!" She grabbed one of the other pillows and threw it at him. He ducked and ran out the door.

"Hey Kankuro," Gaara saw him leaving the room. "where's my pillow, I let you borrow it the other day and you haven't given it back yet."

"Daren has it at the moment." Gaara started walking toward Kankuro's room. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you; she'll kill you!" Kankuro warned.

Gaara ignored him and opened the door. He grabbed his pillow and pulled it away from Daren.

"Hey! I was using that!" She sat up, her tired eyes angry.

"It's my pillow." He walked toward the door but turned back when he touched the handle. "You should get up." He opens the door and leaves.

She pouts for a moment but gets up, wipes the sleep from her eyes, and stumbles into the kitchen.

"So you're _finally_ up." Temari said, setting dishes on the table.

"I would still be asleep is _someone_ hadn't stolen my pillow!" She said, glaring at Gaara as he came out of his room.

"It's _my _pillow, and I left you two other ones."

"I didn't want them."

They sat down to a breakfast of steamed rice and rolled omelets. Daren got nicer as she ate and was soon back to her cheerful self. After breakfast, Gaara leaves to take care of Kazekage business and Temari wandered back to her bedroom.

"What do you guys do all day?" Daren asked, laying her back against the floor and staring up at the ceiling.

"Well, Gaara has a bunch of official stuff to do since he's Kazekage and Temari usually hangs out with her friends or hangs out in her room. I usually work on my puppets or practice."

"Puppets?" Daren looked at him questioningly. "You play with puppets?"

"No! They're a ninja tool! I use them to fight!"

"Oh." She went back to watching dust float across the ceiling. "What this Kazekage thing anyway?" she asked.

"The Kazekage? It's the strongest shinobi in the Land Of Wind."

"So your brother, Gaara is the strongest shinobi of this land?" She looked at him. "Isn't he younger than you?"

"Only by two years!" He said indignantly. "Besides, he's got the Shukaku sealed inside of him."

Daren sat up and stretched. "I think I'm going to take a nap."

"What? You just woke up!"

"So?" She smiled and headed toward his bedroom door. She stopped and turned back to him. "Hey Kankuro, can you do something for me?"

"What is it?"

"Y-you know that pillow that I had earlier?" Her cheeks flushed a little. "D-do you think you could get it for me?"

"What?"

"Please?"

He couldn't refuse her. "All right! Just stop making those eyes at me!" He stood up and went into Gaara's room. He comes back out with Gaara's pillow and holds it out toward her. "Here."

"Yay!" She ran toward him with her arms spread and he thinks that she is going to hug him, but her arms close around the pillow and he feels his hopes shatter.

"Thank you!" She kisses him on the cheek and then runs off to take another nap.

"Gaara's going to kill me." Kankuro touched the spot on his cheek where she had kissed him and smiled. "But it was worth it."

* * *

**Daren's so mean in the morning--I love it!**

**But Gaara's so mean, stealing her pillow!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

Later that night . . .

"Kankuro, where's my pillow?" Gaara cornered his older brother.

He backs away. "Um, I think that Daren has it."

"Again?!" What's _with _her?"

He walks into Kankuro's room and sees a sleeping Daren hugging his pillow. He tugs it away, waking her up.

"Why do you like this pillow so much?"

"It smells nice." She sits up. "Give it back!"

"No, it's mine! Use one of those!" He points at the other two pillows and then leaves.

Daren curls up and goes back to sleep, ignoring the other two pillows.

Later that night, when she could hear Kankuro snoring on the couch, Daren quietly slipped out of the room and followed her nose, searching for a trace of the pillow. She passed Gaara's room and then stopped. The whole door smelled like the pillow.

She opened the door silently and slipped inside. The whole room smelled wonderful to her. She took a deep breath and then saw Gaara laying on the bed, apparently asleep. She climbed onto the bed and curled up next to him.

Gaara never slept, so he was shocked when he felt her arms wrap around his waist. He looked over his shoulder and saw that she was already asleep, a smile on her lips.

"If I kick her out, she'll probably come right back." He told himself. "Anyway, it's not so bad having her there." His cheeks flushed at the thought and he laid his head back on the pillow. He reached a hand up and held hers while he continued to think like he usually did every night.

At six o' clock, Gaara climbed out of bed. Daren stirred, but didn't wake.

He left her there and went to sit on top of the house to watch the sun rise over the Sand Village.

Kankuro woke up around eight and discovered that Daren was missing.

"Oh no! Daren's gone! Where could she be?"

Gaara came into the little house and saw his brother freaking out.

"Gaara, Daren's missing! She wasn't in my room when I checked! Where could she be?!"

"Relax Kankuro."

"How can I relax? What if she got lost? Or someone kidnapped her?"

Temari came out of her room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What's all this racket?"

"Daren's gone!"

"Daren who?" Temari asked. "Oh wait, that girl?"

"Yes!"

"How could you lose a _girl,_ Kankuro? I mean, it's not like she's a set of keys, or something!" They ignored Gaara as he tried to interject.

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

"Well, where would she be? Did you check everywhere?"

"Of course I did!"

"You guys are so noisy." Daren said from Gaara's doorway. "How'm I suppos'ta sleep?"

Kankuro and Temari both turned to look at her in shock, then at their little brother, whose cheeks had turned red.

"Why was she in _your _room?!" Kankuro demanded.

Temari giggled. "What happened last night, Gaara?"

Gaara wasn't answering so Daren did. "He took my pillow so I went to look for it."

"But why did you _sleep_ in there?" Kankuro asked, turning to her.

"The whole room smells wonderful." She smiled.

Kankuro turned angrily to Gaara. "You didn't sleep in there with her, did you?"

Gaara didn't answer but the darker shade of red that crept over his cheeks gave him away.

"Aaargh!" Kankuro ripped his cap off and threw it on the floor then stalked off to his room and slammed the door.

"So Gaara, what happened?" Temari asked. She had her arms crossed but wore a playful smile.

"Nothing." He crossed to his room and went inside. He came back out with his pillow. "Here." He handed it to Daren. "Don't sleep in my room again." He closed the door and they heard the lock click.

"Come on! Tell me what happened last night, Daren!"

Daren looked like she was going to cry. "I was just looking for the pillow, I don't see why they're so mad."

Temari sighed. "You're so oblivious!" She headed back to her room, mumbling about no one telling her anything.

Daren, confused and a bit lonely, took the pillow and went to sleep on the couch.

Kankuro, with his stomach growling, walked into the kitchen to find something to eat. He spotted Daren asleep on the couch with Gaara's pillow.

"She still has his pillow, even though Temari probably has ten, she has his only pillow." He complained.

He opened the refrigerator and began pulling out leftovers.

Gaara, hearing the noise, decided that Temari must be making lunch and slipped out of his room. He stopped when he saw that it was Kankuro, not Temari, hat was digging in the fridge.

He groaned and turned to go back into his room.

"Wait Gaara!" Kankuro said, slopping a spoonful of mashed potatoes a little too viciously into a bowl and splattering himself. "I want to know exactly what's going on between you and Daren."

"I already told you—nothing!"

"So she just _magically_ slipped into your bed during the night?" Kankuro asked, tossing aside a container of spinach with a grimace.

"She came by herself."

"Yeah right!" Kankuro said, searching for the package of hamburger steaks he knew was in the back of the fridge (his favorite). "You probably sprinkled your room with catnip, or something!"

"You're just jealous that it didn't happen to you!" Gaara said angrily.

Temari wandered into the kitchen and watched her two brothers fight about the sleeping girl.

"Has she ever kissed you?" Kankuro asked.

"What? No." Gaara looked at his brother. "Did she kiss _you_?"

"On the cheek." Kankuro beamed and tapped the spot on his cheek where Daren had kissed him yesterday.

"No way!" Gaara said, accidentally putting sweet bean jelly (his least favorite food) on his sandwich, instead of grape.

"You two are so stupid!" Temari said. "Why don't you just ask her which one of you she likes?"

"W-we can't do that!" Kankuro said.

"Why not?" She handed them each a sandwich that was properly made. "Chicken?"

"No!" Both boys said.

"Then ask her. I can't believe you haven't figured it out yet."

Daren rolled over and fell off the couch.

"Ow." She sat up and rubbed her head the noticed the others looking at her. Her face turned red. "You guys didn't see that, did you?"

"Yes, we did." Temari answered and then headed to her room.

Daren stood up, still blushing.

"Hey Dare, want to see the Sand Village?" Kankuro asked as he shoved past Gaara.

"Sure! I love exploring!" Kankuro grabbed his cap from the floor where he had left it earlier and they headed out the door. Kankuro stuck his tongue out at his little brother before disappearing.

* * *

**The next chapter is going to be really short, I think . . .**


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Like I said, this chapter's really short.  
**

* * *

"It's so . . . sandy here." Daren said, looking out over the village.

"Well, it _is_ the Village hidden in the _Sand_." Kankuro pointed out. They were sitting on a huge rock outcropping that sat near the edge of the village.

"Why do you guys live in a desert, anyway? It's all hot and sandy."

"The first Kazekage gathered all the shinobi that lived in the desert and founded this village years ago."

"But it's uncomfortable!"

"That discomfort helps prepare us so that we are able to survive better. We learned how to live in the harshest conditions, unlike the shinobi from the Leaf village who grew up in a forest."

"I guess it makes sense."

"Also, look." He pointed out to the village. "It's the perfect camouflage! The buildings blend right in with the desert."

"You're right; if I squint, I can hardly tell the village is there!"

Daren looked down at the rock and began to trace her name in the loose sand.

"H-hey Daren."

"What?" She finished the 'n' and then looked up at him with her dark yellow eyes.

"Do-Do you like me?" His face flushed and he looked away, out over the village.

"Of course! I mean, you _did_ save me from Doc's fortress." She looked out over the village too. "I guess you're like my best friend." She said, not realizing that she had just broken Kankuro's heart in two.

"I don't really think that Gaara and Temari like me, though."

"What do you mean?" Kankuro began to trace swirls in the sand.

"Well, Temari is always bossing me around and she called me oblivious."

"That's how she always is!" Kankuro laughed.

"And Gaara kicked me out of his room."

Kankuro was silent for a moment. "Why do you want to be in _his_ room anyway?"

"It smells nice." She smiled. "Just like that pillow."

"What does it smell like?" He asked, imagining Gaara sprinkling catnip around his room.

"I don't know how to describe it. It's like the best thing you could ever smell, but better. It makes me happy."

"Can catnip do that?" He still wasn't giving up on the idea.

"Catnip? No, it's like a smell that makes your head spin and you go all crazy—" She stopped, realizing that Kankuro was laughing at her. "What?"

"You've done catnip before? That's like smoking pot for cats, isn't it?"

"So? You've probably done something like that before!"

His smile turned evil. "Maybe. But you can't tell Gaara or Temari."

They both laughed and talked about the different things they had done through their lives.


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Poor Daren . . .  
**

* * *

During supper, Kankuro, Daren, and Temari all joked happily and poked fun at one another while Gaara just sat there glaring at them, eating little.

After supper, Daren fell asleep on the couch while Temari and Kankuro argued about which TV show to watch; Gaara had slipped off to his room. After a while, they went to bed too.

Daren woke up sometime in the middle of the night and looked around the dark living room.

For some reason, she felt really lonely and wanted to curl up next to someone. She looked at Kankuro's door but she really wanted Gaara. He hadn't spoken to her since this morning and she really wanted to be with him at the moment.

She climbed off the couch and went to his door. She tried turning the handle but it was locked. She sat on the floor, wondering if she should knock.

Why was he so mad at her? What had she done?

She reached out a hand and knocked softly on the door. "G-Gaara?"

There was no answer.

"Gaara, please let me in!"

There wasn't a sound from the other room.

"Gaara, don't be mad at me anymore, please!" She could feel her eyes begin to water. If he would just _say _ something!

Gaara sighed and opened the door a crack. "Why do you want in here?"

"I'm lonely out here." She looked up at him.

"Why don't you go sleep with Kankuro?"

"Because I want to sleep with you."

Gaara tried, unsuccessfully, not to blush. "Why?"

"Your room smells nice!" She smiled.

Gaara frowned. "That's the only reason?"

She knew it wasn't, but what else could she say? "Yup!"

Gaara shut the door in her face.

"Gaara, that's so mean!" Tears sprang to her eyes.

On the other side of the door, Gaara sat, listening to her. She reminded him of a cat that had been shut outside. "You need a better reason than that if you want to sleep in here."

"A better reason? Like what?"

"Think about it." He stood up and went to the window where a little potted cactus sat on the windowsill.

"Please, Gaara? It's cold out here."

"It isn't any warmer in here." He poked the little cactus, feeling its sharp spines.

"B-but—" Daren blushed. "I'll be warm if I'm curled up next to you." Gaara was silent and Daren was afraid that he had decided to ignore her, but then the door opened.

"All right, come on." Gaara said, his cheeks flushed.

"Yay!" She pranced happily into the room, taking a deep breath.

Gaara closed the door. "Be quiet, you'll wake up Temari and Kankuro."

"So?" Daren turned to him and flung her arms around his neck.

His cheeks reddened and he tried (half-heartedly) to push her away. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Daren smiled and then sank down onto his bed, pulling him with her. He landed on all fours, his face inches away from hers.

"D-Daren!"

"What?" She looked up at him innocently, completely unaware of the effect she had on him.

"N-nothing." He rolled over so that he was laying next to her.

"Why don't you have a pillow?" Daren asked.

"Because I gave it to _you_ to keep you out of my room." He said. "Didn't really work . . ."

"Why didn't you want me in here?" She stroked his cheek with her index finger, making him blush.

"B-because I didn't want Kankuro to be mad at me." He turned his face away so that he was looking at the ceiling.

"Why would he be mad at you?" She got distracted by a dust mite floating across the room.

"Because he likes you."

"Of course he likes me, he's like my best friend!" She turned back to look at him, losing sight of the dust mite.

"He likes you a _lot_." Gaara said. "Just like me." He looked her right in the eye, his cheeks turning a shade darker.

"What?" Daren's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah, didn't you notice?" He couldn't believe how oblivious she was.

"Nope!" She smiled. "But you know what? I like you too!" She leaned forward quickly and kissed him on the mouth.

Gaara was too shocked at first to do anything, but then he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back.

After she fell asleep, he just laid there, watching her.

* * *

**Aww, how sweet!**

**Next chapter should be the last, I think.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Thanks to all who stayed 'til the end!**

* * *

Kankuro got up early the next morning to see if he could get Daren to go out somewhere all day—away from Gaara.

When he saw the empty couch, he turned angrily toward Gaara's door. He knew exactly where she was. He burst in and saw them both laying together on Gaara's bed.

"Gaara!" Kankuro pulled his little brother roughly from the bed, waking Daren up. He was about to smash his face into an unrecognizable mess when he felt something hard connect with his cheek.

He figured it was Gaara's sand but when he looked up, he saw Daren standing there with a bloody fist, glaring at him. (Oh no! Morning Daren!)

"D-Daren?"

"It is seven o' clock in the morning, Kankuro; why the _hell_ did you wake me up?!"

"I-I—" He couldn't speak, but he motioned toward Gaara, who was also looking fearfully at Daren.

"Leave him alone and get out!" She pointed to the door.

"But—" He stammered. "Daren—"

"Never, _ever_, wake me up this early again!" She said as she shoved him out the door.

"But why are you in _his_ room again?!" Kankuro cried.

"Because I love him!" She slammed the door in his face and then flopped down onto the bed. She was instantly asleep.

Gaara, shocked (but slightly pleased), sat on the end of the bed and then leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.

Temari ate her breakfast while Kankuro paced back and forth, angrily murmuring about what had happened.

"You should have known it was going to happen." She said.

"Why? How was I supposed to know that Gaara would steal my girl?"

Temari sighed. "Honestly, boys are so stupid." She put her chopsticks down on the table and looked at her little brother. "Remember the other day, when she first woke up? She didn't care that you guys saw her bra and she didn't care to spend any time with you—she just wanted to sleep. She wasn't interested in either of you. After Gaara made her put her shirt on, she started to like him."

"Why?"

"I don't know, because he was shy but also commanding, I guess. Unlike you, who just stared at her chest!"

"I did not!"

"Whatever. Anyway, after that, she discovered the pillow that she thought smelled good. She only thought it smelled good because it smelled like Gaara. His scent attracted her because she's like a cat; she uses her nose a lot.

"After he took the pillow away, she started to miss having his scent and asked you to go get it. Then he took it away again. She went to his room, which smelled like him, and thought it was so wonderful that she slept there. She still had no idea that she liked him.

"When you two started arguing over her, she was really upset because you, her only friend, and Gaara were both so angry. Gaara ignored her all day and she couldn't stand it. So, last night, she went to his room and (somehow) got him to let her in, then she must have discovered her feelings."

"How do you know all this?" Kankuro asked, looking at his sister in awe.

"I just pay attention!" She yelled. "Anyway, you just need to get over her; she's in love with Gaara."

"But I _can't_ forget about her!"

"You haven't exactly tried." She picked up her chopsticks to finish her breakfast. "What about that one girl that you met in the Leaf village?"

"What girl?" Kankuro asked, looking confused.

"That maid at the hotel; _the one you said you'd never forget_." Temari said.

"Oh yeah! What about her?"

Temari sighed. "Boys really are stupid. Why don't you go visit her to get your mind off Daren?"

"Good idea!" Kankuro cheered. He ran to his room to pack.

Gaara and Daren came out of the room, holding hands. Temari looked up at them as they sat at the little table.

"Yo."

"Morning." Daren yawned. Gaara had made her get up at ten o' clock again.

Kankuro ran out of his room with his bag stuffed full of clothes and ninja tools. He spotted Gaara and Daren and stopped.

"Gaara." He smiled and held out a hand. "You win. I've got someone else I need to be thinking about."

Gaara gave him a strange look but extended his own hand. "It wasn't a contest." But he smiled anyway, glad to have his brother happy again.

Kankuro headed toward the door. "See ya, Temari. Hey Daren!" She looked up at him sleepily. "Best friends for life?"

She smiled. "Definitely!"

He left, trying to stuff things in his bag that had fallen out.

"Who was he talking about?" Gaara asked.

"Remember that maid from the Leaf village?" Temari asked.

"Yeah. He actually remembered her? I thought he forgot the moment we were out of the village."

"Well, I helped jog his memory." Temari said with a wink. "So, am I going to have little nieces and nephews to look forward to next year?" She said, jabbing Gaara with a playful finger.

"What? No—we didn't do anything!"

Temari continued to tease him while Daren just went back to sleep on the floor.

Gaara and Daren were sitting at the kitchen table when Temari answerd the phone.

"Yo, Kankuro, what's up?" She said. "What?" Her face showed total disbelief then it split into a smile. "She got married last year?" She burst out laughing, hardly able to hold the phone up. "Kankuro, you have the worst luck with girls." She was crying she was laughing so hard.

* * *

**Lol!!**

**How'd you like it? (Review, review, review!!)**

**Me: I still have a question: Why _did_ Gaara smell so good to Daren?**

**Gaara: *hides bottle of fish cologne* I don't know .**

**Me: Gaara, you dirty little-- *attacks Gaara for being such a dirty little cheater*  
**


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